


Error

by buckysknifecollection



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Couch Cuddles, De-Serumed Steve Rogers, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, It's not really that angsty, Post-Endgame, Self-Doubt, just a bit sad, mention of illness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 07:16:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21490474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckysknifecollection/pseuds/buckysknifecollection
Summary: After the battle with Thanos, Steve leaves on a mission to put the Infinity Stones back where they belong. He comes back to his timeline, but something goes wrong along the way.
Relationships: Steve Rogers & Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 7
Kudos: 67





	Error

**Author's Note:**

> {{This work was reposted from my blog @ buckysknifecollection.tumblr.com}}

Somehow, luck was on your side and you won the battle with Thanos’s army. The price was very high and you lost people that not only you loved but have been such a constant in your life, it seemed like they were invincible. You still thought of them that way, even if losing Natasha and Tony was one of the most painful things you’ve had to survive. 

The good news is you did win and you got back all those lives that Thanos so unfairly took away. And most importantly to you and Steve - you got Sam and Bucky back, making your team almost complete again, sans Nat. 

Now that the dust of the enemy has settled and Tony and Natasha have both received a proper and respectful funeral each, it was time to lick your wounds and clean up the mess. 

Pepper Potts-Stark was more than willing to step back into her role of CEO of Stark Industries and organised a massive crew to clean up the rubbles of the Avengers Compound. Meanwhile HQ was moved back to the Tower in New York City, at least until the compound is rebuilt. Shield was still in the process of rebuilding itself, and with Director Fury still fresh out of the figurative grave again, all missions have been put on hold unless someone is literally blowing stuff up. Those who remained of the Avengers team have taken an indefinite leave, as they’ve all been through enough shit for three lifetimes. Knowing them, most would be back to work within a few weeks to months, but nobody was rushing them. 

The task of the day for your team was to put the Infinity Stones back where they belong. 

You never did try going on a ride through the Quantum Realm and if you were being honest, the mere idea of it terrified you. Steve had insisted you stay back for the Time Heist and you didn’t argue with him. You stayed back and made sure there was no trouble on your side. 

Steve volunteered to put the Stones back, since he had the most experience travelling through the Quantum Real out of everyone available. Sam and Bucky offered to go with him, but he declined and said that mission was on him. You suspected it had also something to do with his protective nature skyrocketing ever since he got his best friends back. 

And you totally understood that part of him. You will never forget the relief that came with Bucky slamming his body against you in a hug in the middle of the field and then Sam almost knocking the two of you over when he landed, tripped and fell right into you. After the fight you couldn’t bring yourself to stay away from them, Steve would even joke he’s surprised the two men aren’t sleeping in the same bed with the two of you. You were worried Steve would take it all the wrong way, but Steve being his understanding self, shared your feelings. He wasn’t as touchy as you, but you could tell he missed them and was happy to have them back. 

This morning, you were woken up with a clatter and commotion outside the guest cabin Pepper had offered you and Steve. Bruce had arrived with a crew of scientists to assemble the time machine. Bucky was there already when you came downstairs, still rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. 

“Hey Bucky-bear. Where’s Steve?” You ruffled his hair as you passed him en route to the coffee pot. 

“Outside with Bruce and Sam, he’s getting ready for the mission.” He finished his coffee and put the empty cup in the sink. “You coming outside?" 

"Yeah, just gotta get some coffee in my system. Barely slept.”

“Wonder why..” He smirked suggestively and only just avoided the kitchen cloth flying at his head. Cackling, he disappeared out the porch door before you reached for anything heavier to throw at him. Two sips of coffee more and you followed him to the clearing at the side of the cabin, you joined Bucky who was very happy to see you still glaring at him. You just knew it would be another day full of snarky comments. 

Before you could say anything, Steve approached you, clad in his repaired battle suit and shield in hand. He looked delicious and you hated the fact that he had to go. 

“You two better not do anything stupid ‘till I get back.” He smirked down at you as if he could already sense the mood. For some reason, he loved observing the sass battles between you and Bucky. 

“How can we? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” Bucky said with a knowing smile and you figured it’s just another of their old Things. 

“Besides, Sam will keep an eye on us.” You gave him your most mischievous smile, just so he knows you’re not even planning on behaving. 

He rolled his eyes, pulled you in for a warm hug and kissed your cheek. He gave Bucky a hug as well, then headed up the platform and activated his Quantum suit. 

“How long is this gonna take?” Sam wondered. 

“For him? As long as he needs. For us? Five seconds.” Bruce explained as he got everything ready. 

You watched Steve pick up Mjölnir, something that never failed to give you the best of tingles ever since you’ve first witnessed it. 

“You got some drool dripping.” Bucky snickered next you. 

“I really wish I had a knife on me right now.” You sigh, not taking your eyes off Steve as he smirks at you - no doubt listening in on your conversation.

“Ready, Cap? Alright. We’ll meet you back here, okay?” Bruce called from his stop at the console. 

“You bet." 

"Going quantum. Three, two, one…” Bruce counted out. 

Steve disappeared into the Quantum portal with one last glance towards you. 

“And returning in, five, four, three, two, one…” Bruce continued, but… nothing happened. 

“Bruce?” Your voice was so small you weren’t sure he even heard you. Bucky immediately grabbed your hand to keep you calm, but it wasn’t working - you could feel the panic shake your bones. 

Sam sounded equally as panicked as you felt when he asked “Where is he?”

“I don’t know.” Bruce looked around the console, trying a few buttons but nothing happened. “He blew right by his time stamp. He should be here." 

Bucky turned around from the pad to face you with a worried look. You were hyperventilating and you couldn’t hide your fear from him. 

"Well, get him back.” You pleaded, not taking your eyes off the platform. 

Bruce sighed tiredly. “I’m trying." 

"Get him the hell back!” Sam was losing his patience too and that just made you feel even worse. You had no way of knowing what happened and that was the scariest part. 

“Hey, I said, I’m trying!” Bruce yelled back and continued trying to get Steve back but with a last huff, the machine went quiet. 

“Oh my God…” You whined, grabbing Bucky’s arm tighter, just as you felt the first tears roll down your cheek. 

Bucky was saying something but you barely registered what was happening around you. Your ears were ringing and you couldn’t catch your breath. Sam ran over to you and held your shoulders tight so your shaking knees don’t send you falling to the floor. 

You couldn’t do this again. Not after watching Bucky turn to dust right in front of you, not after finding Sam’s earpiece on a pile of ashes only meters away. Not after Clint came back from the Quantum Realm without Natasha. You couldn’t lose Steve too, you would not survive that. 

The first thing that caught your attention was a quickly flash of light in the middle of the platform, about two feet off its surface. Just a quick flash as if someone was giving a light signal. You pointed at it, your mouth hanging open in a failed attempt to say anything. Bucky glanced where you were pointing but he didn’t see anything and immediately turned back to you. That’s when the second flash happened, lasting a bit longer this time.

“Buck -” You gasped and pointed at the platform again.

The two men next to you turned their attention to the Quantum portal just as it whirred back to life, seemingly on it’s own, since Bruce was fiddling with some cables a few feet away from the console. A few more flashes of light, and before Bruce could get back to his post and any of you could react, the machine died again, a single figure standing in the middle of the platform, their back turned to all of you.

The silence was sharp like needles, no one dared to even breathe, let alone move or speak. Your eyes were locked on the mysterious figure standing where your boyfriend was just a few minutes earlier. They were a lot smaller than Steve was, shorter and seemed to not have any muscle on their body. They wore the same white Quantum suit Steve did.

They even held a familiar shield in their left hand. 

You untangled yourself from Sam’s and Bucky’s frozen hold and took a few steps forward to get a closer look, maybe greet the stranger. Their helmet disappeared off their head, revealing a head of short blond hair, slightly messy and oddly familiar looking.

“Stevie?” Bucky spoke from right beside you, you haven’t even heard him follow you.

The stranger’s back straightened suddenly at Bucky’s voice and they slowly turned around to face you. You were met with the familiar blue eyes that you swear you could spend your entire life looking into. The familiar nose and brows, his face now smaller, his jaw not so sharp as it was, the lips you loved so much now parted slightly in shock.

There was no mistaking him - it was Steve Rogers. But somehow, his body was reversed to how it was before he became Captain America.

The clang of the shield as it hit the platform woke you from the storm of thoughts in your head and before you knew it, Steve was jumping off the platform and running straight into your open arms.

It felt like a bucket of ice water was thrown in your face. Steve was back - he was alive and in your arms but he was so tiny now. Barely your height, and his chest felt so frail under your arms, his face was so small in your hands when you pulled away to look at him.

“Steve, what happened?” You couldn’t make your voice any louder than a whisper.

He lifted his hand to your face and wiped the tears you completely forgot about, his fingers no longer rough on your skin, only thin and soft. His eyes were rimmed with pink and tears were threatening to escape them too but he did his best to hold them back.

“I don’t know.” His voice was hoarse like he was screaming before and it breaks your heart to think that this change may have caused him any pain.

You pulled him back to you and rested your cheek on his head as he hid his face against your neck. You felt Bucky’s familiar warmth wrap around the two of you. 

“It’s gonna be okay.” He muttered, his metal palm gently stroking Steve’s back. “You’re okay.”

_ _ _ _

The next few days passed by in a daze of stress and tears from both you and Steve. 

Bruce spent every waking moment trying to figure out how was it possible for the super serum to be removed from Steve’s body. 

His first theory was that this was actually Steve from the 40s who came back, but no, it was definitely 100% your Steve. Bruce had multiple other theories, but none of them ended up making sense. 

“When I tried to come back, it didn’t work at first, the panel just didn’t react. I tried a second time and everything was fine until i started feeling pain all over my body and then… I was back on the platform.” Steve had explained, head low and fingers fiddling nervously. 

Sure, he was no tech expert but he was decent and Bruce had showed him how to transport himself probably about 50 times. Even you knew how to use that thing by now. But Steve still felt guilty, because he thought he must have messed something up. 

While trying to understand the error that occured, Bruce also insisted to run a series of medical tests on Steve to check his health and make sure nothing else had happened to him. 

You absolutely hated that part. You and Bucky didn’t leave Steve’s side, offering emotional support at all times. All three of you hated being in the medical ward, which was why Sam was by your side whenever he could, bringing all of you treats and coffee and much needed reassurance. 

There didn’t seem to be much wrong with Steve. The health issues he remembered having before he was given the serum were detectable, but they were mild and Bruce said with modern medicine, he should be perfectly fine. 

You tried your best to stay strong for him, but it killed you to see him so stressed and exhausted. Some days he didn’t even have enough energy left to eat or shower, he would just pass out on the couch. 

You’ve become fiercely protective of him during those days. Not because you thought he was weak, no, you knew Steve and you knew his strength didn’t originate from his muscles. But once word got out about what had happened, it was like a bunch of vultures were circling around Steve. The news would not shut up about it, people were giving him weird looks left and right, which led to Bucky often having to stop you from literally punching people. He even took your knives from you!

Bucky had also moved in the cabin with you and Steve, taking the spare guest room upstairs, though most of the time you’d find him passed out on the sofa, after spending too many hours reading or watching another movie. Steve insisted Bucky didn’t need to look after him, but good luck stopping Bucky once he decides something. You didn’t complain - Bucky was the best housemate you could’ve asked for and his presence was good for Steve. 

_ _ _ _

About two weeks of hectic back and forth between the Tower’s labs, you and Steve finally had some time to yourselves. It was a long day though, with blood tests and scans and once you got back home, you were both exhausted. Bucky had taken off somewhere with Sam, which meant the house was very quiet.

After eating some dinner, the two of you ended up in front of the tv, cuddling on the couch, but not really paying attention to whatever movie was on. For once you managed to convince Steve to let you be the big spoon and you were loving it - being able to cuddle up to him and kiss his neck and shoulder whenever you felt like it. Steve was holding your hand in his, absentmindedly playing with your fingers and you could tell something was bothering him, even if he seemed completely relaxed. You didn’t prod though, with Steve, you knew you had to give him some space. He was always honest with you, but sometimes he needed some time to put his thoughts in the order he wanted them in. 

“I wanna tell you something but I think you’ll be mad at me.” His voice was almost a whisper, he sounded worried, which in return made you worried. “But I want to be honest with you.” He turned in your arms slightly, just so he could see your face. 

You couldn’t imagine what could he possibly tell you to upset you. And you hated seeing him like this, thinking there are things he shouldn’t tell you. It took many difficult years if a bumpy relationship for you to earn each other’s full trust and seeing it waver now - it scared you. 

You kissed his temple in silent reassurance. “Tell me." 

He took a deep breath and finally confessed what has been worrying him. “When I went to put the Tesseract back, I went to see Peggy.” He expected you to react in some way, but when you didn’t, he continued. “I never did get to say goodbye to her, you know? Not in the 40s and not when she… passed.” He cleared his throat, and you could tell that memory was still very painful to him. “So I went to her house, even met her husband.”

Steve went quiet after that and instead of playing with your fingers, he was now anxiously pushing his thumb in his other palm and you could tell he was very worried about what you had to say about this. But just like you expected, there really isn’t much Steve could say to you that would truly upset you.

You wrapped your arms around him tightly, bringing him close to you and kissed the back of his neck like he always did to you when you were upset.

“I’m glad you did.”

“You are?” He asked surprised, as if that possibility has never even crossed his mind.

“Well, yeah. It’s been eating away at you for years and you needed closure. I know you loved Peggy and she was important to you. It’s only right that you get to say goodbye properly.” You nuzzled his soft hair. “And remember you don’t ever need to be afraid to tell me anything.”

“I just thought you might not like me seeing Peggy.”

“Steve, I am your girlfriend. I don’t own you and I have no right to control who you’re meeting.” You shrugged. “Plus, I liked Peggy. She was sweet to me when you took me to see her in the care home.”

“She was… You never did tell me what she whispered to you before we left.” He smiled fondly at the memory. He’s been bugging you for years so you tell him what she said to you that day, but it was still your best kept secret.

You giggled at his persistency. “Nuh-uh, that’s between us girls.”

“C’mon…” Steve sighed. The curiosity was killing him but you seemed to love it when he got frustrated about it. He turned in your arms, careful not to fall off the sofa and hugged you back. He kissed your cheeks and nose and when he looked in your eyes, all you could see was relief. “Thank you for understanding.”

“Of course.” 

_ _ _ _

"What do you mean you destroyed it?!” You whipped around to look at Bruce. Even though he was all big and green now, looking completely out if place at your dining table, he still flinched at the growl in your voice. 

It was late afternoon when Bruce visited you at your temporary home at the lake. He brought over a stack of papers with the results of the latest medical tests Steve had gone through. He was getting stronger by the day and his health wasn’t really much of a concern anymore thanks to the treatments the doctors had recommended. 

Along with that, Bruce also informed you that everything regarding the time machine he, Scott and Tony had built has been destroyed. Data, notes and plans deleted permanently, all tech components and even spare parts have been dismantled and recycled for other projects but bottom line was - no more time travel for anyone. 

Not that you would let anyone else step through that damn portal. After what happened to Steve, it was too risky to even test that contraption. But knowing it was all gone still felt like a needle in you heart. It felt like the last part of Tony had disappeared now. 

“It’s too dangerous. Tony, Scott and I… We thought we had it all figured out, but what happened to Steve only showed me how wrong we were.” Bruce let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand down his face. “We’re lucky we pulled the Time Heist off without any mistakes. But that seems to have been just pure luck.”

He watched you as you took your place at the table across him and stirred your coffee. 

“How’s Steve anyway?” Bruce asked when you didn’t speak for a few minutes. His voice was gentle like he was afraid to strike a nerve with his question. 

“I think he misses it all.” You sighed. “He doesn’t like to show it, but he’s upset.” You speak slowly, careful not to say too much. Bruce was a friend but discussing Steve while he’s not in the room still felt wrong.

Especially when upset didn’t even begin to cover it. Steve was always a very private person, but after what had happened and the public backlash that followed his decision to give his shield to Sam, his walls went up twice as high. 

Bruce seemed to understand your weariness, he’s been seeing Steve a lot lately and he was a very empathetic person himself so he quickly caught on that Steve isn’t doing very well mentally. 

Bruce took a moment to carefully think over what he wanted to say. “I was thinking… I can’t reverse his state with the time machine, and I wouldn’t even attempt it at this point, but…" 

You sipped on your coffee and smiled at him, curious what he’d come up with this time. "What’s on that big brain of yours?" 

"This is just an idea but what if we recreated the serum? I could take blood samples from Bucky and -" 

"No." 

Bruce held his hands up defensively, seeing as his idea made you angry. "Why not? You said Steve is upset, right? Doesn’t he want to go back to normal?" 

"He IS normal.” You raised your voice, all the times people would try to ridicule Steve in the past weeks flashing through your mind. You couldn’t believe Bruce of all people would say such a thing. 

“First of all, the serum used on Bucky was different than the one used on Steve. We don’t have any information on the formula of either of them or the process to make them into super-soldiers. And second, Bucky doesn’t like needles.”

Bruce’s demeanor softened, he knew how protective you were over the two men. After everything your team has been through, you’ve all grown extremely protective of each other. He understood Bucky’s uneasiness in medical settings, too. 

Bruce timidly excused himself, apologising for upsetting you and left soon after. You let him see himself out and sat at the table for a while, staring out the living room window that looked out on the lake. Two figures were there and as the sun started setting over the high trees, you decided to go get them.

_ _ _ _

Spending time at the lake with Steve reminded Bucky of old times, long before the war and before everything went to shit. Steve now looked a lot like he did back then too, which only fed the feeling of deja vu. Even his moodiness seemed familiar, as he angrily threw the stones in the water, not even attempting to try skipping them like Bucky taught him all these years ago,

“What bit you?” Bucky decided to break the tense silence.

“Nothing.” Ah, the familiar tone of a pissed off Steve.

“Come on, pal, talk to me. Something’s obviously on your mind.”

“I’m useless. Okay?! That’s what’s on my mind.” Bucky was glad he finally got Steve talking, even if he absolutely hated that his friend was feeling this way.

“What are you talking about? You’ve never been useless.”

“I’m gonna leave the Avengers.”

“Steve - “

“Look after her, okay? Just… promise me you’ll look after her.”

Bucky dropped the pebbles he was holding, quickly approached him and shoved Steve, a bit too hard, because he fell flat on his ass on the stone covered shore, but Bucky was too angry with him to care.

“Don’t be an idiot, Steve. That time machine must have reduced your brain cells too. You can’t just leave and give her away like an unwanted puppy. She loves you!” Bucky hated yelling at Steve and he very rarely did so, but right now he was furious. He couldn’t believe Steve would give up like this. 

“I love her too but don’t you see, Bucky? I can’t do anything for her anymore. I can’t keep her safe.” Steve sighed heavily. “All I’ve been doing is going from one doctor to the other, just like when I was a kid. I can’t fight, I can’t do anything, I start wheezing when I walk up some stairs. She’s been the one taking care of me these past weeks.”

"What’s wrong with that?” A third voice startled the two men. They were so focused on each other that neither noticed you approaching them. 

You watched Bucky pull Steve to his feet, his lips in a tight line, probably holding back from giving Steve the lecture of a lifetime. Steve stuttered, trying to find words to explain himself, but you’ve heard enough of the conversation to know what was going on. 

“Why would you say that, Steve? Don’t you want me around anymore?” Deep in your heart, you knew Steve loves you and you understood him but it still hurt to hear him say such things, him wanting to leave you behind. 

“No, baby, that’s not what I meant!” Steve hurried to you and grabbed your hands to pull you to him. 

Even though he wasn’t so strong anymore, the habit of pulling you in for a hug still stuck with him and somehow you found comfort in that. Because every time he did it, it felt like nothing really changed. 

“Well, that’s what it sounded like to me." 

You knew Steve was going through a difficult time, but it saddened you that your and Bucky’s efforts seemed to do nothing to soothe his worries. 

"Sweetheart, no, it’s just that…” Steve sighed and leaned his head on you shoulder for a moment before he spoke again. “I can’t protect you anymore, not with this weak body. I’m useless." 

"I hate that word.” You scoffed, which made Steve look back up at you. “Stevie, even before all this happened, I could hold my own against both you and Bucky. You’re not my bodyguard.” You cupped his cheek in your hand and spoke in a softer voice, tired of being frustrated. “I don’t need you to protect me, I just need you to be with me, Steve." 

A small smile tugged at his lips but it was quickly replaced by a frown. 

"But aren’t you disappointed? That I look like this now?” You stared at him in surprise that he would ever even think that. “It’s okay, you can be honest.”

“Bucky is right, you are an idiot.” You shook your head and held him tight. “I didn’t fall in love with you because of your body, Steve. I love you because of who you are. You are brave, selfless, reckless and stubborn as hell, and I love you. I don’t care what you look like as long as you are you.”

Steve hid his face against your neck to hide the tears in his eyes. He knew you love him, of course he did, you never let him forget that. And he always knew you’re one of the few people he could always count on being by his side.

Everything that happened had left him feeling like an exposed nerve, vulnerable and helpless. You were his rock in moments like this, when he needed it the most, you were there to catch him when his mind threw him in some deep dark places he couldn’t crawl out of on his own. 

“I love you.” He murmured against your skin, already sounding calmer. You could feel the tension leave his body slowly as he relaxed against you. 

You chuckled and kissed his temple. “I love you too, so stop being so dramatic." 

Out of the corner of your eye you could see Bucky still standing on the shore, watching the two of you fondly. You don’t know how would you have made it without Bucky by your side. You motion him over to join your hug and he walks to you with a cheeky grin. He hugs the two of you tight from the side, lifting you off the ground just an inch or so for emphasis. 

"I can’t breathe!” Steve grunted before Bucky set you back down again. 

“Just like old times.” Bucky snickered and ruffled Steve’s hair. 

_ _ _ _

“Alrighty, boys, landing in five!” You yelled down the jet cabin. Grunts came in answer from Bucky and Sam, who were both sprawled on the floor and refusing to get up. 

All three of you were tired and filthy from your mission. Turned out, infiltrating a Hydra base during heavy rainfall was not the best idea. You were covered in mud and blood and your gear was wet and heavy on your body. You couldn’t wait to get home and take a hot shower. 

“_Strike Team Zeta, come in._” A more than familiar voice came through the speakers and it immediately lifted your mood. 

“Hey there, Stevie!” Your voice went up a couple octaves in pure joy. You shot a pointed look at Bucky, who was cackling behind you. He couldn’t blame you for being excited to hear your boyfriend’s voice after a tough mission! 

Hearing Steve chuckle made you smile so wide it hurt your cheeks. It’s only been three days since you’ve seen each other but that was already three days too long for you. 

“_Hi, sweetheart. Ready for landing?_”

“Yes, _sir_.” Your answer only made Bucky laugh louder and you could just imagine the cute pink blush spreading on Steve’s face all the way to his ears. 

In the past year, many things changed, but you were relieved it was all for the best. 

Steve stepped down from the field and your Team Zeta only had three members now - yourself, Sam and Bucky. Steve, instead of retiring like he initially planned, ended up joining Maria Hill in strategy, planning and pretty much running the show. Sometimes he blew your mind with how good he was at his new job and he had told you a few times that he enjoyed it a lot, even if he hated seeing his friends put themselves in danger. 

Steve himself changed quite a bit too. Without a serum being involved, he would never be the mountain of muscles he used to be, but with some training and treatments from the Compound’s medical team, he was no longer the frail and sickly boy that Bucky remembered.

What didn’t change at all though is how crazy about him you were. He was still your Steve after all, the same man you had fallen in love with all those years ago. Maybe with a little bit more snark to him, now that the spotlight wasn’t constantly on his person and his every word wasn’t picked apart by literally everyone. 

As you landed the jet and rode it inside the hangar, your smile was brighter than the lights around you, because there he was - your Steve, waiting to greet your team. He wore the casual beige suit that you adored and you wondered if he did that on purpose. He looked more like any other office employee than a high level Shield agent, but who was going to tell Steve Rogers what to wear? No one, not even Sam calling him a hipster phased him anymore. 

You bounced in your seat as you switched the engine off, then bolted around the cabin, collecting all your things. You did a great job ignoring Bucky’s and Sam’s playful jabs and attempts to slow you down and you were out of the jet before they even had their bags sorted out. 

“Stevie!” You squealed as your ran to him, only barely slowing down so you don’t body slam him to the ground. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much!" 

"Hey, sweetheart!” He kissed your forehead and let you hug him and nuzzle your face in his neck. “Welcome back, good job out there.” Steve spoke to your teammates over your shoulder. 

When you wouldn’t let go, only kept humming in satisfaction that you’re back in his arms, he gently nudged you away. “Baby, you’re covered in blood…” He didn’t want to hurt your feelings but he didn’t want you to get his suit dirty either. 

You took a step back, but pouted at him, clearly not pleased. Right then, Bucky slung an arm over your shoulders and pulled you towards the door. 

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up, princess.” He chuckled as you kept pouting. 

Steve watched the two of you go with unashamed fondness until Sam gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. 

“You better wipe that frown off her face.” Sam scolded him half-seriously. “She’s been bouncing around the jet the entire way back, because she was so excited to see you." 

Steve turned to him with a knowing smile and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a tiny, black velvet box and tossed it in the air once. "Don’t worry, I will.”

**Author's Note:**

> Maybe because I took forever to finish this, but I wouldn't say this is one of my best works. I still think I handled the Peggy Situation more logically than Marvel but ya know.... just my opinion.


End file.
